A mum has lost a massive 11 stones in just over a year to make sure she didn't embarrass her son on his wedding day.

Supersize Clare Howard was a huge 21 stones 13 pounds - but after diet and lifestyle changes she has plummeted to 10 stones 7lbs

The 48-year-old, from Swansea, had managed to achieve her weight loss target after joining Slimming World classes.

When her son Luke announced he was getting married Clare was determined to lose weight (Image: (Image: Clare Howard))

When her birthday recently came around, not only was she one year older, but she was also more than 11 stone lighter.

After 15 months of hard work, she has dramatically dropped from a size 26 to a size 10, reports WalesOnline.

She said: "It started because my son was getting married and I didn't want to embarrass him because I was so big.

"By the time he got married in November I had lost six stone and four pounds and when they put the photos up everyone said about how amazing I looked and my son was proud.

She managed to climb Snowdon earlier this year after previously not being able to walk 100 metres without getting breathless (Image: (Image: Clare Howard))

"I didn't think I'd lose that much but I've gone from 21 stone and 13 pounds to 10 stone and seven and a half pounds now."

She said she was also watching a programme on Snowdon Railway before she started slimming but thought she would never climb the mountain ever again.

"I'd given up on doing anything exciting again, but in April I climbed up in the snow and it felt like an amazing achievement when before I couldn't walk 100 metres without being out of breath," she added.

"I'm not working at the moment as I've been focusing on my weight loss and I would have been too embarrassed to go to an interview but I'm looking forward to getting back into work."

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Mrs Howard used to lead an active lifestyle as she took part in a number of karate competitions.

She added: "It's all down to a lot of walking with my family and my dog and I've been able to get back into karate every week which I used to do before," she explained.

"I used to do a lot of fitness and karate years ago but I injured my knee when I was fighting so I just gave up. Just to get the last bit of weight off recently I started going to Funkypump and I've turned into a bit of a fitness freak now."

Mrs Howard said she "puts on weight very easily" and that a lack of exercise mixed with eating what she wanted resulted in her gaining weight.

After joining Slimming World she said she still enjoyed eating similar meals to before, but instead chose healthier alternatives now.

"Instead of having takeaways I'm cooking big pots of curry now instead," she added.

Mrs Howard was 21 stone and 13 pounds and is now 10 stone and seven and a half pounds (Image: (Image: Jonathan Myers))

"I haven't changed my eating habits, but I am eating a lot more vegetables and with a cooked breakfast for instance I would use fry light instead of butter or have a steak with a jacket potato instead of chips. I still go out for a lot of meals.

"I have gone back and fore [with my weight] over the years and I would put weight back on but this time something just clicked and the classes were fun so it was a joy to go to them.

"I'm exercising seven days a week now and I'm going to start competing again with karate and I'm going to the European championships in Denmark."

Since losing all of the weight Mrs Howard explained she was still shocked to catch glimpses of herself in mirrors when she was out and about.

She said: "My family are all really proud and they have helped me and been walking in Mumbles with me even in the rain.

"It was a nice birthday present to hit my target weight. I went out for food a few weeks ago and saw myself in a mirror when I came out of the toilet and was thinking 'oh my god, that's me'. It has been a shock."